Hi everyone,
Here is the aggregated input we received on topic #3 concentrating on "Strategies used by small farms to overcome challenges – a view of the past", reflecting all input received for the two questions in this topic. — (and this is a long one - based on 14 different input emails from you all! With thanks to all contributors!!)
PLEASE keep sending your feedback with only ONE question’s input per email and clearly mark - in your email subject - which question your input relates to (which makes it much easier for us, to process them) — Peter
Q3.1/3. - Input on “Question 3.1: Identify the three main challenges which small farms, in your region, have faced in the recent past.”
1/ From: Shantonu Abe <[log in to unmask]> (Germany/India)
My name is Shantonu Abe Chatterjee, and I am a PhD. Candidate at the University of Cologne, in the Economic Geography Dept.
I work with small farmers in West Bengal who are interested in improving the sustainability(environmental,social and economic) of their farms. I also interviewed NGO workers at Development Research Communications and Services Centre to get some of the insights I share here.
On the question of identifying the three main challenges which small farms, in your region, have faced in the recent past.
1.Lack of small-scale processing facilities: Due to various government decisions taken over the years in post-independence India in general and West Bengal in particular, large scale rice mills dominate.This makes it difficult to process specialty rice Processing for extracting oil from rice bran or mustard is also hard-to-access, making it easy for intermediaries to capture most of the added value. Yet another kind of processing that is missing is for pulses. While many farmers cultivate pulses, they cannot eat it themselves because there are no village level processing facilities. These are just some of the examples I have found in interviews with farmers and NGOs.
2.Lack of advice on integrated farming: While there exist governmental departments for crops, livestock,apiary, fisheries, poultry etc., there is no department for small integrated farms, or for nutrition gardens. This happens mainly because knowledge in research institutes is compartmentalised to specialise in research into one particular group of products. Greater specialized improvement is sought, and the ‘highest-yielding’ of each category is researched at the expense of finding out optimal combinations of different components. Farmers are often left to experiment themselves, or to specialize in one product, a move that is a risky business proposition.
3.Lack of access to means of transport: Farmers usually take their products to the nearest city using a public bus. This is not optimal, since the amount taken to the market is limited, and it takes more time to get to the final destination. Hiring a transport van is expensive, and only pays off if done as a group. The government is trying to address this situation by providing some vans at a subsidized price. However, it is very difficult to get hold of one as the number is limited. Road infrastructure also needs to be improved in order to make deliveries smooth and fast.
In addition, excessive groundwater withdrawals because of dry-season cultivation is a problem, as well as demonetisation.
2/ From: Mohammed Babashani <[log in to unmask]> (Nigeria)
The main challenges of small holder livestock farmers in Zaria Nigeria:
1. Diseases causing production losses such PPR and helminthic infections.
2. Theft due to insecurity and hunger amongst residents.
3. Lack of value chain approach to production.
3/ From: Prudence Ayebare <[log in to unmask]> (Uganda)
My name is Ayebare Prudence; I work with Uganda National Farmers Federation an umbrella organization of farmers organization in Uganda. I work as a policy Research Officer, which positions enable me to interact with both the farmers, producers, private sector and policy makers to ensure that that farming policy environment for the farmers is favorable.
Small holder farmers in the general context has been a debated issues as far as their definition is concerned either to be defined in the context of the income the farmer earns from the farm or the size of land and many more parameters.
The SMF have been progressing since the last 10 years. There has been evolution through many issues including access to technology, climate change, pests and diseases access to finance etc. Through the farmers have been able to sail through in coping to the changing environment.
The adoption to technology mainly on the improved seed has been very significant, and accessing clean planting material has been progressing. Before there was a lot of fear that would hinder majority of the Small Holder Farmers (SHF) towards utilizing the new technologies as far as research is concerned.
Preparation of some Small Holder farmers to the risks associated with Climate change has also been visible since the last 10 years. The years before climate change appeared like a hoax to the majority of the farmers and therefore a little preparation was done to this regard towards for example the heavy rains, prolonged dry spell, at least at the moment some small Holder farmers have been engaging in developing the Small scale systems for accessing water for production to cater for the risks associated with climate change.
Access to information has also been turned around for the farmers since the last 10 years. Information regarding markets, access to finance, agricultural extension, weather has all been eased with access to modern technology of internet enabled fones where farmers have been able to access most of the information everywhere.
More so the attitude and mind set of the of the majority of the farmers has been positively changing in context that agriculture can meet the majority of the needs of the farmers if well planned. Trending majority are tending to draw towards agricultural production either full time and part time to ensure that they catch-up with the opportunities of the sector. Unlike before where the majority including the youth though that the activity was not for the educated.
From food security to income security as a trend where literary every product from the agricultural sector could be sold or exchanged valuably for the benefit of the farmer. Previously products like ovacadoes, guavas and other fruits could not be sold anywhere in the market. More so products like animal waste had no monetary meaning previous hover in a trend of about 10 years all products have been able to attract some product some market in one way or another. This has changed for the better.
However a the trend has been shifting since the last decade, some is since the demand for money has been raising have negatively changed as well especially on the food safety related issues of the majority of Small Holder Farmers generally, as climate change has also taken toll, aflatoxin and other mycotins have also been increasing and many more.
Conclusive what has not been attractive by the majority in past years ahs eventually turned into an opportunity that the majority are taking on and meanwhile other small Holder farmers are resigning from their formal jobs to full time farming that indicates that it is offering better opportunities than some other major sectors.
4/ From: Said Zarouali <[log in to unmask]> (Morocco)
In Morocco, small farmers contribute a lot to food security. The main challenges are:
- Ensure the small farmers are ensured to have an income, limiting their risks, and thus limiting them falling into poverty but rather increasing their life standard.
- Ensure a level of self-sufficiency of small farmers
- Ensure the knowledge and experience small farmers gained in the past (both cultural and the “savoir-faire”- the local knowledge)
5/ From: Eve Rubillos <[log in to unmask]> (Philippines)
The main challenges are
- Climate (typhoons, floods)
- Minimizing Crop Damage
- Need for affordable infrastructure
These are some of what i observed as a beginner farm owner / entrepreneur.
6/ From: George Madoda <[log in to unmask]> (Tanzania)
Small firms have not been able to produce to the maximum due to unavailability of fund for man power, machinery, purchase of seed, fertilizers and pesticides.
Most of families are poor and depend on farms, so it happens that when they need machines to clean their farm, laborer to clear weeds, they need to buy hybrid seeds that are compatible with their soil and climate
The hybrid seed need fertilizer and sometimes are attacked by worms and there again rise the need for pesticides.
Climate change in the Kilimanjaro region, especially the Hai district, has severely affected the area rain is now days unpredictable, they have one rainy season: For the past 5 years it use to rain around Mid February now days it rain in March of every year for the past 3 years
It's now three seasons that it rained in March unexpectedly. The soil is dry and there is no much rain for the season, so farmers need to plant with the very first rain, otherwise no crop, lack of water for irrigation to support food production system.
Very few channels of rivers are available but do not sustain farms in the district.
Lack of sufficient extension officers to support the knowledge development of farmers, this has challenged farmers in the district, in such that they even plant seed where they are not suppose to because of lack of knowledge of type, quality of soil and type of seed to produce in particular areas.
7/ From: Dilip Kumar <[log in to unmask]> (India)
1. Shortage of labour
2. Marketing when produce is in smaller quantity
3. Quality of inputs made available
8/ From: Olaoluwa Olayinka <[log in to unmask]> (Nigeria)
Insecurity: Herdsmen attack on farms and farmers.
Exploitation of farmers by middle-men as they claim to help to sell their products. This is because the infrastructure necessary to support farm to market flow of produce is not robust enough to meet this need.
Government support not getting to the farmers on the field. So lack of resources, like tractor and improved seed as experienced in farm settlements in oyo state
9/ From El Hadji Ousmane Ka <[log in to unmask]> (Senegal)
The difficulties faced by the producers were:
- Problems with the flow of products after harvest
- Absence of storage facilities
Today these problems are solved thanks to the cooperation between the producers who met in (collaborative associations that) formed and pushed the government to build storage facilities in the Niayes area. (Particularly for the onion farmers) the state agreed to block import of onions and potatoes to allow local producers to sell their products especially at a good price.
(Moderator: This is a topic very close to the heart of many: the issue of “free trade” (and the IMF imposed free trade), and lifting import taxes to food imports, taxes which were originally imposed to to protect the local food production market. In what way has the -foreign- push to lift food import taxes impeded local small farmers to grow and flourish?)
10/ From: Loupa Pius <[log in to unmask]> (Uganda)
Loupa Pius is from the Karamoja region in Uganda
The small holders in this region face a number of challenges. Some of the challenges range from the local situations to national levels.
During the livestock assessment exercise conducted in early 2018, most livestock holders in Karamoja sell livestock only during the time of need and livestock marketing is not taken as a business.
The main challenges:
- Land tenure security.
- Expansion of large scale farms in need of more land area.
- More animals sold at the time of drought.
- The policy challenge - No livestock or pastoralist policy guidelines.
- The low developed market facilities: Low access to both agro and livestock inputs such as the cold chains
Introduction of hybrids and modern varieties hence the seed rights for farmers undermined.
11/ Katarzyna Panfil <[log in to unmask]> (European Union)
In the European Union very often the main 3 challenges are:
1. The main economic challenges regarding family farms are: access to the resources such as:
- land because of the high price of land
- capital as is often expensive for small farmers, who are unwilling to risk their land as collateral. The new technology is also often too expensive for small scale farmers.
- access to markets with scale productivity it is difficult to compete on the market.
2. The major social challenge for family farmers is inter-generational succession, which
can trigger the adoption of new technology, the consolidation/or fragmentation of
agricultural land, and the restructuring of farm enterprises.
3. The requirement for both economic viability and environmentally sustainable
management creates a complex challenge to family farmers. Small family farmers have difficulty to manage related costs. They may lack the
information, knowledge and skills needed for modern environmental management.
Q3.2/2 - Input on “Question 3.2: Share specific examples of what types of adaptations and innovations have helped small farms to cope with these challenges.”
1/ From: Eve Rubillos <[log in to unmask]> (Philippines)
One recent innovation i learned (from a few fellow farmers / farm owners) is planting bamboo in flood prone farm lands. I myself am working on implementing this into my farm, with the goal of transforming it into a bamboo farm.
2/ From: Mayank Jain <[log in to unmask]> (India)
I would like to highlight some service innovations we have incorporated while reaching out to small farmers:
a. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/low-cost-innovations-agriculture-extension-services-my-mayank-jain/
b. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/innovations-agriculture-extension-services-mayank-jain/
"Adult learning is not widely practiced in the extension services which are predominant in our country. Farmer are often told what is right ("modern techniques") and what is wrong ("traditional practices"), what to grow ( often, cash crops), and where and when to market their produce.
This approach to extension promotes dependency on outside inputs and expert advice (self-concept). It denies farmers the choice of what they want to learn (motivation). It does not focus on the farmer's most immediate need to grow more food for their family (time perspective). Nor does it take into account a farmer's accumulated experience of the environment where their crops are grown."
Few learning which we have incorporated from our past two years of experience:
1. Rather than focusing on concept of self-note, what we are offering; we have taken into account the farmer's accumulated experience of local environment and crops grown.
2. Incorporating thoroughly tested experiments in the local conditions. We go by doing our small small experiments on the demo land which we have prepared for testing out spacings, seeds, timelines etc.
3. Focus on low cost innovations e.g seed quality, seed treatment, adjusting timelines for optimum yield and market driven approach
4. Seeing is believing, so we practically demonstrate and make them do the same in the field do to it the preferred way
5. Don't leave any class of farmers. All contribute to each other and inclusive development.
3/ From: Sanusi Jari <[log in to unmask]> (Nigeria)
(Moderator: Dr. Jari Sanusi works at the Department of Crop Production and Protection, Federal University Dutsin-Ma Katsina State, Nigeria)
In an effort to fulfill the mandate of our university (Federal University Dutsin-Ma Katsina State, Nigeria) in bringing solutions to challenges facing farmers in our host community, the Department of Crop Production and Protection and the Department of Agric Extension and Rural Sociology initiated a project called “Climate Smart Agriculture” that aimed at helping farmers to adopt climate smart agriculture practices.
Principal Activities of the project
1. Capacity Building on Climate Smart Agricultural practices and sustainable management of natural resources for rural poor, smallholders and family farmers, to increase their productivity and income in the context of mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
2. Mapping and Characterization of areas affected by climate change and develop strategy, frame work (action plan) and technology to address the challenges posed by climate change
3. To Build the capacity of small holder farmers to enhance their capacities to adopt more integrated, sustainable and resilient climate smart production systems
Methodology:
10 rural communities were selected and each community selected 10 people to receive capacity building on Climate Smart Agriculture Practices. Due to the nature of our location in semi arid environment, water scarcity constitutes the single most important obstacle towards sustainable crop yield. Farmers freely selected which technology is most appropriate to their needs. Therefore, farmers have their capacities developed in the following areas:
I. Water harvesting technology such as Zai pit technology
II. Half moon tillage
III. Planting of food crops beside young turf of Habia thibaica
IV. Pitcher irrigation technology
Zai technology as a veritable tool for enhancing crop yield in the semi arid areas of Katsina State Nigeria.
After having their capacities developed in the above thematic areas, they were assisted to set up a farmer field demonstration plot in their respective villages. The first set of farmer field school demonstration plot was a huge success particularly Zai technology and pitcher irrigation were very popular among farmers in all the locations. Adoption of Zai technology in some locations with frequent occurrence of prolong drought during the growing season which sometimes lead to total crop failure.
In such communities, Zai technology provides a sustainable solution to uncertainty and risk of total crop failure due to drought. The farmer field school that demonstrated Zai technology recorded unprecedented bumper harvest which greatly influenced mass adoption of the technology by farmers in all the locations in 2017. We are anticipating greater adoption of this technology this coming cropping season as a result of successes recorded in the last two years. The appearance of an entrepreneur who mobilizes young men into a group as service providers that dig the Zai pit holes for a fee is a development that is further making the adoption faster and easier. Farmers that practiced Zai pit technology in 2016 & 2017 have recorded very high yield of up to 2.7t/ha of sorghum, thereby enhancing their family nutrition and food security, income and livelihoods.
########################################################################
To unsubscribe from the SMALL-FARMS-L list, click the following link:
https://listserv.fao.org/scripts/wa-fao.exe?SUBED1=SMALL-FARMS-L&A=1